Everything you need to know for the day (and a little more).

The Big Story: White wash

The government on Monday introduced a new bill in Parliament that sets the terms of what is effectively a new income declaration scheme for black money holders, two months after the end of the previous “last chance” to come clean. The Taxation Laws (Second Amendment Bill) allows citizens to declare unaccounted income under the new Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. Through a combination of tax, penalty and a surcharge on top of the tax, this income will essentially be hit with a 50% charge. Additionally 25% of the disclosed income will have to be placed in an interest-free deposit scheme for four years.

The main aim of the new rule is to plug the loopholes in the current taxation law that would have allowed black money holders to simply declare unexplained income in advance tax returns this year and attract taxes without any penalty. In fact, the most recent figures of money deposited into banks following demonetisation, coupled with various moves to limit cash exchange options, suggest the government is seriously concerned that those with illicit funds have managed to deposit it – in the hopes of turning the money white – without a major hit.

Those who are found with unaccounted money without declaring under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana will be hit with taxes and penalties amount to about 75%. The taxation laws are retrospective, covering this entire fiscal year and any advance tax returns filed so far, although the government has taken pains to insist that they aren’t technically so because the year is still on-going.

For all the government’s vilifying of black money holders then, with the government calling it a “crime against humanity”, it has given them yet another chance to return to the system. To add to the narrative that the entire demonetisation effort has involved suffering for a better future, the government has directly grafted a pro-poor scheme to the declaration scheme, so that it cannot be accused of simply giving the black money holders a legal way to launder cash.

After the mixed results of the previous income declaration scheme, and the clear indication that those with illicit cash were finding ways around the demonetisation move, the question remains: Will black money holders play ball?

The Big Scroll: Scroll.in on the day’s biggest story

Centre’s push to go cashless will have to surmount illiteracy, lack of trust in digital payments, reports Anumeha Yadav.

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Punditry

“If the Bengal Bandh had had enough of its bedridden life, Monday was a good day to die,” says The Telegraph.

Nitish Kumar and Naveen Patnaik’s decision not to toe the Opposition line is a useful reminder of the complexity of Indian politicking, says a leader in The Indian Express.

“Small, sustained, everyday challenges to a heteronormative order has the potential to liberate everyone who finds themselves circumscribed by that order, not just sexual minorities,” writes Rihan Najib in Mint.

James Crabtree in Foreign Policy says Modi’s demonetisation move “was poorly planned, chaotically implemented – and may turn out to be his biggest political victory yet”.

Giggle

Don’t miss

Syed Nomanul Haq reviews a new book, by Manan Ahmed Asif, challenging a centuries-old text about how Islam came to India.

“The perennial career of The Chachnamais a fascinating fact, not only of textual history, but also of political and ideological history. There exists ample testimony that its sustained presence on the intellectual and colonial horizons explains much; its presence has a massive historical valence. And now, some 800 after the life of Kufi’s tract began, during which it was appropriated in diverse directions by all kinds of scholars, ideologues, and by imperial servants of the East India Company, Asif takes on in his book the ambitious task of hitting at the very foundations of this appropriation, reception, and understanding of The Chachnama.

This is a monumental task and one stands in awe of Asif’s research stamina and his refreshing historical acumen. To scale and, in the process, aim to crack and then pulverise the hardened rock of ages is no mean feat.”

Why do our clothes fade, tear and lose their sheen?

From purchase to the back of the wardrobe – the life-cycle of a piece of clothing.

It’s an oft repeated story - shiny new dresses and smart blazers are bought with much enthusiasm, only to end up at the back of the wardrobe, frayed, faded or misshapen. From the moment of purchase, clothes are subject to wear and tear caused by nature, manmade chemicals and....human mishandling.

Just the act of wearing clothes is enough for gradual erosion. Some bodily functions aren’t too kind on certain fabrics. Sweat - made of trace amounts of minerals, lactic acid and urea - may seem harmless. But when combined with bacteria, it can weaken and discolour clothes over time. And if you think this is something you can remedy with an antiperspirant, you’ll just make matters worse. The chemical cocktail in deodorants and antiperspirants leads to those stubborn yellowish stains that don’t yield to multiple wash cycles or scrubbing sessions. Linen, rayon, cotton and synthetic blends are especially vulnerable.

Add to that, sun exposure. Though a reliable dryer and disinfectant, the UV radiation from the sun causes clothes to fade. You needn’t even dry your clothes out in the sun; walking outside on a sunny day is enough for your clothes to gradually fade.

And then there’s what we do to our clothes when we’re not wearing them - ignoring labels, forgetting to segregate while washing and maintaining improper storage habits. You think you know how to hang a sweater? Not if you hang it just like all your shirts - gravity stretches out the neck and shoulders of heavier clothing. Shielding your clothes by leaving them in the dry-cleaning bag? You just trapped them in humidity and foul odour. Fabrics need to breathe, so they shouldn’t be languishing in plastic bags. Tossing workout clothes into the laundry bag first thing after returning home? It’s why the odour stays. Excessive moisture boosts fungal growth, so these clothes need to be hung out to dry first. Every day, a whole host of such actions unleash immense wear and tear on our clothes.

Clothes encounter maximum resistance in the wash; it’s the biggest factor behind premature degeneration of clothes. Wash sessions that don’t adhere to the rules of fabric care have a harsh impact on clothes. For starters, extra effort often backfires. Using more detergent than is indicated may seem reasonable for a tub full of soiled clothes, but it actually adds to their erosion. Aggressive scrubbing, too, is counterproductive as it worsens stains. And most clothes can be worn a few times before being put in the wash, unless of course they are sweat-soaked gym clothes. Daily washing of regulars exposes them to too much friction, hastening their wear and tear.

Different fabrics react differently to these abrasive agents. Natural fabrics include cotton, wool, silk and linen and each has distinct care requirements. Synthetic fabrics, on the other hand, are sensitive to heat and oil.

A little bit of conscious effort will help your clothes survive for longer. You can start by lessening the forces acting on the clothes while washing. Sort your clothes by fabric instead of colour while loading them in the washing machine. This helps save lighter fabrics from the friction of rubbing against heavier ones. It’s best to wash denim materials separately as they are quite coarse. For the same reason, clothes should be unzipped and buttoned before being tossed in the washing machine. Turning jeans, printed clothes and shirts inside out while loading will also ensure any abrasion is limited to the inner layers only. Avoid overloading the washing machine to reduce friction between the clothes.

Your choice of washing tools also makes a huge difference. Invest in a gentler detergent, devoid of excessive dyes, perfumes and other unnecessary chemicals. If you prefer a washing machine for its convenience, you needn’t worry anymore. The latest washing machines are far gentler, and even equipped to handle delicate clothing with minimal wear and tear.

Bosch’s range of top loading washing machines, for example, care for your everyday wear to ensure they look as good as new over time. The machines make use of the PowerWave Wash System to retain the quality of the fabrics. The WaveDrum movement adds a top-down motion to the regular round action for a thorough cleaning, while the dynamic water flow reduces the friction and pulling forces on the clothes.

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The intelligent system also creates water displacement for better movement of clothes, resulting in lesser tangles and clothes that retain their shape for longer. These wash cycles are also noiseless and more energy efficient as the motor is directly attached to the tub to reduce overall friction. Bosch’s top loading washing machines take the guesswork away from setting of controls by automatically choosing the right wash program based on the load. All that’s needed is a one-touch start for a wash cycle that’s free of human errors. Read more about the range here. You can also follow Bosch on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This article was produced by the Scroll marketing team on behalf of Bosch and not by the Scroll editorial team.